Under Construction
by Derkhen
Summary: Sirius and Remus experience a bit of trouble when purchasing a house, leaving them stuck in a temporary house with someone they DON'T want to be there with. Can they survive? Probably not. Sirius & Remus slash.
1. Got Gas?

Alrighty, this was a pretty random idea I had the other day. Originally James and Lily were going to join these two clowns, but I decided against it so I can have more fun with Remus and Sirius by themselves. Well..for awhile, at least. . I know this first chappie isn't terribly long, but I like it the way it is. More coming soon!   
Yes, this is the edited version! I made a few mistakes in the first one, one because I was out of it and the other because I know nothing of British life. But I would like to thank the following people:

_Mariann_ for pointing out that the Internet didn't exist back then- this embarassed me, being the absolute computer geek I am, and I realized it HADN'T been completely "invented." My technology side felt ashamed, but I changed it. Thanks ;;

And _Genny_ gave me a few corrections to make about purchasing gasoline, which I must say I'm not too familiar with in the US anyway, so that was just my mistake. I went through and changed things to the best of my ability (I dunno if Shell existed back then, but they did now XD). I want to thank Genny SO much for constructive criticism (with a bit of humor), and give a warning: I may email you sometime in the future, depending on what I need. huggles Thanks SO much!   
Now that that's over with, on to the story! (version 2.0)

Summary: Sirius and Remus experience a bit of trouble when purchasing a house, leaving them stuck in a temporary house with someone they DON'T want to be there with. Can they survive? Probably not. 

Disclaimer: Not © me, as I said before. I'm still sad.

* * *

Under Construction   
Chapter 1: Got Gas?

Sirius Black scratched his head thoughtfully as he looked at the large sign in front of approximately twenty acres of dirt. _Residential Homes: Venharq's Court. Low prices, 1-1.5 acres of land, magnificent designs. Construction delayed until August._

Sirius read the last line over and over to himself, then shrugged. Poor people that had already contracted out a house would have to wait a few more months. Oh well, their loss, they should've found somewhere more dependable. 

His seventh year at Hogwarts had ended, and Sirius had made plans with his longtime friend, werewolf, and recently acquired lover, Remus Lupin. Sirius didn't quite understand the whole concept of finances in general, especially not with muggle money; he had simply sat by while Remus looked up houses in the muggle newspaper and discussed options over the fellytone thing or whatever it was called...oh, yes, _telephone_. They found a lot that seemed nice enough, affordable (nearly even by Remus's standards), and a house design they liked. Sirius let Remus take control over his money, knowing the wolf wouldn't do anything stupid with it, and Remus squared away all the nitty gritty details. They were supposed to be getting a call any day now, telling them their house was ready. 

Come to think of it, Sirius honestly had no idea where their house was. Some strange street it was going to be on, something foreign sounding. He didn't quite fancy the idea of living in a muggle neighborhood, even after hearing Remus say it would be much easier for him, as a werewolf, to find a job where they didn't ask about details such as that during an interview. Sirius found this to be a bother, seeing as he had all the money he needed. He had no intention of looking for a job whatsoever. 

What had he come here for? Oh, yeah, he was supposed to go to a muggle store and buy some _petrol_. The car he had been driving had suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. Remus had seemed rather upset that Sirius hadn't noticed the fuel gauge read _Empty_, but Sirius reminded him that firstly, he didn't usually drive so he had no idea what he was doing, and secondly, muggle transport was a waste of his life. Remus insisted Sirius needed to learn how to drive and use other various muggle appliances, such as a dishwasher, in order to survive in a muggle environment. A load of rubbish, Sirius had told him. 

He had also tried to just magic some petrol back into the car so they could be on their way, but Remus protested that they were on the side of the road and someone was bound to notice. Sirius didn't particularly care; it wasn't like the muggles all somehow knew they were out of petrol and hadn't stopped to just take a piss in the woods. Remus, however, was persistent and nagged Sirius to the point where Sirius nearly exploded. This, he thought, was what it must be like to be married. 

Which explains why he was walking down the dusty road towards the petrol station, which he nearly passed and had to double back after walking for an extra twenty feet. _Shell_ was a rather odd name for a place to buy petrol, he thought (he honestly would've expected it to be a place where crazy seashell collectors gathered), but thankfully Remus had given him a heads up on some common names. He wasn't sure how he would survive without Remus. 

It didn't take too long for Sirius to get lost in the small store, yet he felt no sense of shame when the young clerk he asked for help pointed out that the petrol he had been searching for was right in front of him on a rack clearly labeled "petrol". Nor did he change his expression when the young female cashier, blushing, told him that he needed a five-pound note, not a thirty. 

Clutching the plastic shopping bag with a vice-like grip, he began the long walk back to the car under the heat of the summer sun. He passed houses, that lot with the sign- poor lads, he thought again- and one or two farms with madly rampaging chickens before he saw the dim outline of Remus's blue car. Remus was standing outside, leaning on the door and looking around almost impatiently. Not actually impatiently, of course, because Remus was far too kind of such things, but he looked slightly annoyed. Sirius didn't particularly care as long as Remus didn't make him sleep in the couch in James's house again. They had lodged with James until they could find a suitable place to stay; James didn't mind one bit, but Lily insisted they (mainly Sirius) lived far too much like bachelors, and she wanted them out as soon as possible. 

"What _took_ you?" Remus panted, wiping off his forehead with his sleeve. "It wasn't that far away, now was it?" 

"I swear it was a mile at least. I _told_ you we should've used magic! And you shouldn't have sent me. I'm terrible with muggle money." 

"Even if it was a mile, it shouldn't have taken you so long. What did you do, stop and pick up a few girls?" 

Sirius chuckled and patted Remus on the head. "Only if it would annoy you, Remi. No, I actually stopped to look at a new lot. Sign over it said their construction was being delayed until August, I kinda pity the bloody idiots that chose to build their house there." 

"Ah, curiosity killed the cat- er, dog," he added hastily as Sirius gave him a dirty look. "A lot of people from Hogwarts are getting houses, did you catch the name of the street?" 

Remus took the petrol and began feeding it to the car or whatever. Sirius jumped up on the hood and leaned back over the windows, staring at the clouds with an expression of complete indifference. "Something really weird, with a V. Vanq...Vehnilg...I dunno, something really odd..." 

There was a moment of silence as Remus finished what he was doing, putting the petrol container safely back into the bag and stowing it in the trunk. "Venharq?" he said quietly. 

"Yeah, that's the one!" Sirius stretched out and yawned. "Do we know anyone that's going there? Cuz if we do, we should offer them our condolences, I pity those poor bastards-" 

"Sirius." 

"Yeah, Moony?" 

Remus walked to the front of the car slowly and put his hands on the hood, leaning forward and looking Sirius straight in the eye. "That's where _we're_ going to live." 

Sirius stared at him for a second as the words sunk in. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, looking back over his shoulder to where all the empty lots sat. 

"...Bloody hell."

* * *

So, how was it? I'm having fun with it, this chappie's more of an introduction than a "stuff happening" chapter. Tune in to the next chappie to find out who they're going to have to live with! (Depending on your HP-obsessive-ness, you MIGHT be able to guess. But it could be _anyone_....)   
Shall be updated soon. 


	2. Living with WHOM? !

Chapter two! Thanks for the reviews (and corrections, of course, I made them!) I'm having fun. I wrote all of this within the past...not really sure, but tonight. And if there are any weird errors that I should've seen while reading it over, it's because I have a sinus infection and didn't read it over two well. Skimemd it, more like. Evil sinus things stabs them.   
Apparently my tonsils are somewhat swollen. Here's an idea- let's get them removed, then they obviously CAN'T be swollen because they're not THERE! Sounds good to me!   
Now, you didn't need to hear that... 

Disclaimer: again, as I said in first chappie, not mine.

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Chapter Two: Living with WHOM?!

"Delayed until _when_?" Lily Evans (James hadn't _quite_ proposed to her yet) stood in the kitchen brandishing a spatula at Sirius and Remus. 

"August," Sirius said simply, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter. "Only two months." 

"I can't survive with you two for two months!" Lily proclaimed. "James, do something, he won't listen to me!" 

James was taking it rather well, trying to hide his grin. "It isn't that long, Lily, they can stay-" 

"Er, we don't want to be a burden," Remus cut in quickly, noting how infuriated Lily was likely to become. "I'm sure we can find somewhere to stay temporarily." 

"Don't be silly," James waved Remus's kindness aside. "It would be a waste of money!" 

"Sirius has money to spare," Lily spat, setting down the spatula in a huff. "I can barely stand you living like a pig, but Sirius on top of it is disgusting." 

Both Sirius and James glowered at Remus for the small laugh he attempted to suppress. "Don't worry, Lily, we'll find someone. Yes, we _will_," he frowned at Sirius's pout. "That won't get you everything, Siri." 

"But I can still try…" 

Remus sighed and had opened his mouth to speak again when the phone rang. James went to answer it, but Lily intercepted him and grabbed it before James could make a fool out of himself (James was just about as familiar with muggle technology as Sirius was). James looked slightly disgruntled; he jumped up and sat on the counter while Lily wasn't looking. 

"Hello? Oh, yes, he is, just one moment please." She turned to Remus and handed him the phone, which he hurriedly took out of the kitchen as Lily spotted James on her clean counter. Hearing them bicker in the background, he lifted the receiver to his mouth. 

"This is Remus Lupin." 

"This is Ted Wincheston from the building company. We spoke a few weeks ago on the phone." 

"Oh, yes, Mr. Wincheston! Nice to hear from you. Actually, I was going to call, I wanted to ask about-" 

"The delay, I'm sure." 

"Oh…yes…" 

Mr. Wincheston cleared his throat. "I'm terribly sorry about that, we had a problem with a small strike. The company feels completely responsible for not being ready on time, and we want to offer you some alternatives." 

Remus peered into the kitchen where James was currently hiding behind Sirius, who was laughing, and Lily had picked up her spatula again and was threatening them both. Ah, timing, he thought to himself. "Yes, I'm listening." 

"Well, there's always the option of renting a flat for the time being, but I can't see you wanting to spend any extra money." 

Thinking back to Sirius's sometimes annoying selfishness, Remus nodded to himself. "That would be…correct…" 

"In that case, we happen to have a house for sale about fifteen minutes away from the construction site. I've discussed things with the manager, and he agreed you and your partner could live there while you're waiting." 

Remus brightened- things were looking up. "That- that's wonderful!" 

"There is," Mr. Wincheston cut in, "one catch." 

It couldn't be anything _too_ bad. "What is it?" 

"There's another man that had a contract on a house to be built in the court as well. We feel it is our responsibility to provide a residence for him as well. I already spoke with him about the prospect of being joined by two other men, and he agreed. The house isn't overly spacious, but I daresay two months isn't long enough to become mortal enemies." 

"It sounds like a pretty good plan to me," Remus felt as though this was his lucky day. Two months wasn't that long; if all else failed, they could just avoid the other person. "I'll go ask Siriu-" 

"I accept." 

It took Remus a moment to comprehend the fact that it was Sirius's voice coming from the phone, not Mr. Wincheston's. He peered into the kitchen and saw Sirius holding the other phone, grinning at him and giving a thumbs up. 

"Well, that's settled, then." Mr. Wincheston sounded relieved. "Come by the office in five hours with as much stuff as you can pack up in that time, and you can meet your new…roommate." 

"Sounds good!" Sirius seemed fairly cheerful; a distinctive _click_ was heard as he put down the phone. 

"Er…we'll be there, thank you." 

"See you soon." Mr. Wincheston hang up as well, and Remus was left standing there somewhat perplexed. When did Sirius…? 

Speaking of Sirius, the dark-haired teen came up to Remus and put an arm around his shoulder. "New roommate! Sounds exciting, I wonder who it is." 

"…Right…" Remus sighed and brought the phone back to the kitchen. "I suppose it's time we go pack, then?" 

Both James and Lily nodded. Remus stared at them for a second, wondering _how_ they could know, when James sheepishly held up yet another phone. "We were listening in." 

"Oh." The amount of privacy in the house was stunning, and it made Remus very glad him and Sirius had never tried phone sex like Sirius suggested. Remus had turned him down not because he didn't want to, but mainly because he wasn't quite sure Sirius had mastered the art of using a telephone yet, and having him yell everything out in the open didn't seem like a good idea. 

Sirius still had an arm around him. "Let us go, then!" 

"We'll help," said Lily quickly, obviously intent on getting them out as soon as possible. James agreed, but Remus was fairly sure it was out of friendship and not out of…whatever drove Lily to her current state. 

And they spend the next four-and-a-half hours packing. 

By the time they were done, all four of them were pretty much exhausted. The room Sirius and Remus shared had at first been turned into a giant city of boxes, and now it was almost entirely empty. As much as they could fit into the car (without magic, of course) had been fit in somehow. They would have to make a few trips, but James said they could leave whatever they didn't need at the moment back at the house for storage. Lily had somewhat reluctantly agreed. 

Remus decided it would be a better idea for him to drive this time instead of Sirius, an idea to which Sirius didn't complain one bit. He sat in the passenger's seat next to Remus, staring out the window at the trees and houses passing by. His silence was comforting yet unnerving at the same time; Sirius and quiet were two words one didn't normally find in a sentence. Remus opened his mouth to speak a few times, but he always thought better of it and closed it before even stammering a syllable. Eventually, as they neared the construction company's building, it was Sirius who broke the silence. 

"Kinda exciting, don't you think? On our way to getting a new house…" 

So he was just thinking. A rare occurrence, but acceptable. "Mmm-hmm…" 

"Something of our very own…" 

"Yup…" 

"Just us, alone. Together." 

Remus paused as he parked the car. Staring at Sirius, he saw a warmth in the man's eyes he hadn't seen in a long time. He opened his mouth, unable to think of anything to say, but Sirius cut him off by clearing his throat and staring at the building. "Well, we should probably go up. Time to meet our…ah, new roommate." 

Gulping, Remus nodded and stepped outside of the car into the heat. Somehow it had intensified within the past thirty seconds, making him feel rather uncomfortable. He began walking towards the entryway when he felt Sirius grip his wrist tightly. 

He looked over to see what Sirius could possibly want, but he had no sooner turned his head than Sirius pulled him forward and kissed him. It was a very brief kiss, but one of the first they had ever shared in public. Sirius pulled back after a few seconds and, smirking, walked inside. 

Remus followed him, praying the blush he felt growing on his face wasn't too noticeable. 

They followed an assistant up to Mr. Wincheston's office on the second story. Mr. Wincheston was already waiting for them, sitting at his desk and looking very professional. He invited them in, asked them to take a seat, and proceeded with some business matters Sirius found extremely dull. 

Sirius busied himself by looking around the small office and counting the dots on the ceiling. He also thought of what the newcomer would be like- hopefully someone they'd be able to get along with easily. He was sort of sad it wasn't a girl that he could flirt with and therefore annoy Remus half to death, but Remus apparently became annoyed with him on a regular basis without a girl around. 

254…255…256…he had just hit 258 when he felt Remus poke him hard in the ribs. Rubbing the area, he scowled at Remus slightly. "What?" 

"Our roommate is about to be introduced to us." 

That got Sirius's full attention. He turned to face Mr. Wincheston, who, when satisfied both men were listening, called out for whoever it was to come in. The door to the office opened and in walked the stranger- but it wasn't really a stranger. Both Sirius and Remus stared at him with wide eyes; he didn't look too surprised. Perhaps Mr. Wincheston had already informed him of the two nutters he was going to be staying with. 

"…You've _got_ to be kidding me." Sirius found himself wishing he had continued counting the dots instead. 

"Well…this is…quite a surprise…" Remus seemed to be taking it fairly well, as usual. Sirius still stared at the man with a slight gleam in his eye, although it wasn't clear whether it was a maniacal gleam or simply because he was in shock. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and looking up at the doorway again. 

"Hello, Snivellus."

* * *

Um...here it is...this is what happens when you get bored and ticked at one of your male friends for being all homophobic and saying how liking Remus/Sirius as a couple is "just wrong, and it just ruins the whole story." Direct quote from a nice argument that's still sitting on my tag-board. Oh well. R&R! 


	3. Paint It Black

::dodges large objects as they fly past her head:: I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I swear I meant to update earlier! I know it's been over a month...augh, so sorry! See, I brought my laptop with me to the beach and did a lot, then kept forgetting to get it _off_ the laptop. And so there it stayed until two days ago. I wrote the rest tonight. I feel bad...oopppss, sorry. I want to thank Prisoner-of-Sirius a _lot_, though- the complete randomness of your review showing in my inbox made me realize I should finish this chapter. Thanks a bunch!  
I'll try not to be so slow next time, but school's starting in a week so who knows. And I'm working this whole week, so I don't have the whole day to myself. But I love Siri and Remi so very much, so I will try. I shall. 

Disclaimer: ...do I have to keep doing a disclaimer? Nooo, I don't think I do....

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Chapter Three: Paint It Black

Severus Snape looked at Remus and Sirius with nothing short of a loathing sneer. Remus had raised his eyebrows and sighed. Sirius stared at Snape with his mouth hanging open, then finally turned to face Mr. Wincheston. 

"So…this is our roommate for the next two months?" 

Mr. Wincheston nodded. "Do you all, ah, know each other?" 

"We went to school together," said Remus quickly, before Sirius could say anything stupid and/or offensive. 

This seemed to please Mr. Wincheston, who had worried that this whole delay business would get him sued. He shuffled a few papers on his desk and looked around at the three. "I guess you don't need to get acquainted then. I'll go turn these papers into the manager and then show you all to the house. You can get moved in right away." 

They all nodded as he left the room. When it was safe for them to talk amongst themselves, Sirius spun around in his chair to look at Snape. "So, Snivelly…trying to find somewhere to live, eh? No girlfriend to stay with? Or did your parents finally kick you out?" 

"Siri-" Remus began, but he wasn't quick enough. Snape's hand plunged into the inner pocket of the duster he was wearing and pulled out his want, pointing it at Sirius. Sirius in turn stood, growling and ready to defend himself. 

"So you wanna fight, Snivelly? Bring it on." 

Snape really did look like he was going to attack. Remus stood and moved between them, clearing his throat. "Both of you need to stop it right now. We haven't even been alone for two minutes and you're already at each other's throats. You have to survive in the same house for two _months_. Can you do that and be at least somewhat civilized?" 

Sirius stared at him. Be civilized while living with _that_ guy? Had Remus gone completely mad? But one look at his lover told him that Remus was willing to make things work. Sirius couldn't let him down. He sighed and said, "Fine. I'll deal if _he_ will." 

Remus looked at Snape, who glowered and stuck his wand back in his pocket. It was just as well, too, since only a few seconds later the door opened and Mr. Wincheston stepped inside. 

"If you three will kindly follow me, I'll take you to the house." 

Still bitter, Snape brushed past Sirius. Sirius rolled his eyes and, taking Remus's hand, followed. Remus's cheeks flushed again. "S-Sirius?! We're in public, you idiot!" 

Sirius didn't appear to care; not that he ever had before, but he usually respected Remus's wish to keep their relationship a private affair. "Mr. Wincheston knows, he called me your 'partner,' remember? And Snivellus'll find out eventually." 

Remus winced; that didn't seem like it would be a good idea. "…We can just...y'know, not tell him…" 

Stopping mid-step, Sirius just gazed at him in disbelief. "That's not going to work." 

"W-why not? It's not like we _have_ to tell him or anything-" 

Remus paused, partially because he had finished his sentence, and partially because Sirius had grabbed him by the ears and pulled him in for a rather large kiss. A secretary walking by gawked at them, but Remus really wasn't in any position to explain. Sirius broke away a few seconds later, licking his lips yet managing to look rather…well…serious. "I can't keep my hands off you for two months." 

Face growing redder, Remus stared after him for a moment before following. This was _very_ unlike Sirius- well, sort of. The recklessness was normal; the mushy, sappiness wasn't. 

He _really_ hoped he could pretend it was a sunburn. 

By the time they reached the parking lot, Mr. Wincheston had already gotten into his beat up truck and was driving out. Snape, humorously enough, seemed to have acquired the knowledge of how to drive, and was following. Remus and Sirius climbed into Remus's car, Remus driving, and made their way to a small, isolated home about twenty minutes away. 

Remus found that the house was rather nice, not something he'd regret staying in. It was what you might call a "country home," with light blue siding, white shudders, and a garden out front. The entire yard was surrounded by a grove of trees, making it the perfect little getaway. 

"Ugh, this is horrible." The first words out of Sirius's mouth as they pulled into the driveway made Remus wince. "It's like something you'd see advertised as a 'wonderful romantic cottage, just for you and your lover.'" 

"Well _I_ like it," said Remus shortly. 

"Oh, don't get all huffy." Sirius rolled his eyes. 

"I'm not getting huffy-" 

Sirius waved his rebuttal aside. "Yes, you were. Look, I don't hate it or anything. It seems like the kind of place someone like you would like. A cute little house." 

Remus sighed, looking out the car window at Snape and Mr. Wincheston, who were walking towards the front door. "I can't see Snape being too pleased with a place like this." 

Chuckling, Sirius opened the door and stepped out. "Unless he's suddenly gone all flowery cutesy, he probably hates it. He'll want to paint it black or something." 

Locking the car, Remus followed and grinned. "Well, we'll have to ruin his fun, then. Come on, let's have a look around." 

They walked up to the front porch, and it was instantly clear that Snape really didn't like the house. Mr. Wincheston didn't seem to notice; he was obviously preoccupied with the fact that he had gotten everyone to agree to live together. He clapped his hands together as Remus and Sirius came up the steps. "Good, we're all here. Now, please follow me inside so you can get a feel for the place." 

Snape didn't look pleased with the idea of "getting a feel for the place." Sirius tried and failed to suppress a snicker, walking in behind Remus. Once inside the foyer, Sirius started humming _Paint it Black_ to himself, looking around. It wasn't an overly large house at all; a doorway on the left side of the hallway led to the kitchen, and two doors on the right showed a living and dining room. Another doorway inside the living room led to the bathroom. The stairs were located at the end of the short hallway; Sirius charged up them before anyone else. 

The second floor wasn't anything too fascinating either; only four doorways, leading to a bathroom, two bedrooms, and a workroom/study. Sirius poked his head in each of the rooms before coming back down to the main hallway and Mr. Winchester. 

"Does the upstairs only have one bathroom." 

Mr. Winchester sighed. "Yes, sorry about that…the plans called for another one in the master bedroom, but the builders messed up. Nobody ever changed it." 

Sirius opened his mouth again, looking agitated, but Remus stepped on his foot. "That's fine, the three of us can share two bathrooms." 

Sirius scowled at him, but Mr. Winchester smiled. "That's good to hear. I trust you all don't need any help unpacking your things, so I'll be on my way…ah, Mr. Lupin, are you warm? Your cheeks are rather red." 

Remus jumped and laughed nervously. "It is a bit warm in here, isn't it?" 

"I'm actually kind of cold." 

Remus cast a warning glance at Sirius before smiling innocently. "I just have a bit of a sunburn, that's all." 

Mr. Wincheston nodded, completely oblivious that they were hiding anything. "Give me a call if you have any problems, you have my number." 

Everyone exchanged goodbyes; Remus and Sirius stood on the front porch and watched Mr. Wincheston's car pull out of the driveway and down the lane. Sirius sighed heavily, leaning his head on Remus's shoulder. "What have we gotten ourselves into?" 

Remus rolled his eyes. "Come on, the house isn't _that_ bad…and besides, when you were upstairs Mr. Wincheston told me that we're free to do a little redecorating with the wallpaper and stuff, as long as we pay for it." 

Chuckling, Sirius patted Remus's head. "I didn't mean the house…" 

"You can live with him for two months…" 

"Yeah, yeah…hey, what's that?" 

Remus frowned as he saw the small trail of water on the porch. "Hn. I wonder where that's coming from." Pausing as Sirius grabbed his head and turned it to face the open doorway, he felt his stomach drop. The water was coming from _inside_ the house, and the level was definitely not getting any lower. 

"…This is not good."

* * *

And...this is the chappie! ::cues applause:: Yaaay. And...um...I'm really out of things to say. I smell like the cabin I just camped in x.x 


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